Marketing and dispensing package for fluids



A ril 15, 1941. B. DICK MARKETING AND DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR FLUIDS Filed Feb. 4, 1959 INVENTOR Q BURNS DICK Patented Apr. 15, 1941 MARKETING AND DISPENSING PACKAGE FOR FLUIDS Burns Dick, Ferguson, Mo., assi nor to Wagner Electric Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a'corporation of Delaware Application February 4, 1939, Serial No. 254,559

8 Claims.

My invention relates to the marketing and dispensing of fluids and more particularly to a package construction for a container for fluid which is capable of being so employed by the seller or the purchaser that the fluid can be conveniently removed from the container and placed in the desired receptacle where it is to be used.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a package for merchandising a container of fluid which is capable of being so assembled after removal of the container that a funnel and conduit can be constructed for transferring the fluid from the container to a proper receptacle.

Another object of my invention is to so construct a package of the type referred to in which the conduit is in the form of a flexible hose so packed in the package that it will act as a cushion for the fluid container and so constructed at one end that it can be readily attached to the bottom of the package and sealed to an opening therein.

Still another object of my invention is to produce a package of the type referred to which will permit the trade-mark for the fluid to be applied to the package and the container of the fluid to be unmarked and sealed in the package and dispensing the fluid, thereby preventing the package from being again used to market a fluid, particularly one. which is not genuine.

Another object of my invention is to construct a package for hydraulic brake fluid which can be conveniently carried as a reserve supply" and which embodies all the necessary equipment for conveniently pouring the fluid into the master cylinder reservoir of a hydraulic brake actuating apparatus.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent from the followin description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, showing the package as packed for sale; Figures 2 and 3 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the package shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view showing how the hose is attached to the package after the fluid container is removed; and Figure 5 is a perspective view showing how the package and hose are employed in pouring the brake fluid into the master cylinder reservoir. I

Referring to the drawing in detail and particularly to Figures 1, 2, and 3, numeral I indicates a package which is provided with a wall 2 and a bottom 3, the top being open. The wall is made of a material, such as cardboard, which is capable. of absorbing at least a small amount of liquid in a short time. The bottom 3 is preferably made of metal and is crimped to the end of the wall as shown. The central part of the bottom is provided with an inwardly flared hole 4. Within the lower part of the package, as packed for sale, is a coiled rubber tube 5 and as best shown in Figure 4, one end of this tube-has secured thereto a metal ferrule 6 which is providedwith a beveled edge for cooperation with the flared portion of the hole 4 in the bottom of the package.

Also packed in the package i and resting on the coiled tube is a fluid container I in the form of a metal can provided with a central threaded pouring spout 8 and a cooperating threaded cap 9. The top of the can, when resting on the coiled tube, extends slightly above the top of package I. The can is sealed and held in the package by a band l0 secured by adhesive substance to both the wall of the top of the package and the top of the can. The band may be made of any suitable material which can be severed by tearing as, for example, paper. In order to facilitate the breaking and removal of the band, a tab II is provided which may have the words Tear off imprinted thereon.

The can I has no marks or printing thereon indicating the origin of the goods. The outer surface of the wall of the package I has imprinted thereon the trade-mark for the goods contained in the can and also any other printing such as instructions or illustrations pertaining to the removal of the can, assembly of the package and hose and their use to dispense the fluid in the can.

The package and hose have been particularly designed to merchandise hydraulic brake fluid but it is apparent that they may be employed to merchandise any other kind of fluid which requires a funnel to conveniently transfer the fluid from the can to another receptacle where it is to be used. When used for merchandising hydraulic brake fluid and it is desired to place the fluid in can 1 in the master cylinder reservoir of the braking system, the purchaser or seller first tears off the seal ID by pulling on tab H. The can I and tube 5 can now be removed from the package.

The tube is next uncoiled and its smooth end inserted from the inside of the package through hole 4 in the bottom of said package as illustrated in Figure 4. The hose is pulled completely through the hole until the beveled edge of the ferrule 8 is brought into tight sealing engagement with the surface of the flared hole 6. It is thus seen that a funnel is now produced comprising a fluid receiving receptacle and an attached conduit in the form of a flexible tube. To pour the contents of the can into the reservoir of the master cylinder l2, the lower free end of the tube is inserted in the hole at the top of the reservoir (after-removal of.the closure plug) and the fluid poured from the can into the package as illustrated in Figure 5. The fluid will flow rapidly through the hose and there will be practically no loss of fluid at the joint between the tube and the bottom of the package even in the event there should not be a perfect seal at this point. Some of the fluid which comes in contact with the inside wall of the package will be absorbed by the material of the wall, thus disfiguring the outer surface of the package and rendering it unfit for re-use as a merchandising package.

The package arrangement permits the can containing the fluid to be unmarked. Thus when the fluid is used and the can thrown away, it cannot be picked up, refilled and sold as containing the original product since the outside of the can does not bear the trade-mark. The arrangement is also such that the purchaser knows he is getting the trade-marked goods as the condition of the seal informs him whether or not anyone has tampered with the package after the manufacturer has prepared it for sale. The packed package is very compact and can be carried conven iently in the glove compartment by the automobile operator as an emergency ration. The coiled hose in the bottom of the package, as packed, acts as a resilient cushion for the can and prevents it from shifting about in the package. The flexibility of the hose facilitates its being inserted in reservoirs of inconveniently placed master cylinders and the hose is of suiflcient length to permit the package to be held where the fluid can be easily poured into it. The loss occasioned by throwing away the package and hose after use is small as their cost is low. The assembly of the package and hose for dispensing use is simple, thus not requiring any ingenuity by the purchaser when it should become necessary to place the fluid in the reservoir of the master cylinder.

Being aware of the possibility of modifications in the particular structure herein described without departing from the fundamental principles of my invention, I do not intend that its scope be limited except as set forth by the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Means for marketing and dispensing fluid comprising a package provided with a bottom having an opening therein, a hose positioned in said package, one end of said hose and the bottom of the package having cooperating means for permitting the hose to be connected to the bottom of the package at the opening therein, a container for fluid positioned in the package, and removable means cooperating with the top of the package for maintaining the container in the package and in engagement with the hose, said hose when connected to the opening in the bottom of the package permitting said package and hose to be employed to dispense the fluid in the container by providing a receptacle into which tom of the package having cooperating means for permitting the hose to be connected to the bottom of he package at the opening therein when the container is removed, a container for fluid positioned in the package, and destructible means cooperating with the top of the package and the container for maintaining the container in the package and in engagement with the hose,

- said hose when connected to the opening in the bottom of the package permitting said package and 'hose to be employed to dispense the fluid in the container by providing a receptacle into which the fluid can be poured and a flexible conduit for conveying the fluid.

3. Means for marketing and dispensing fluid comprising a package provided with a bottom having an inwardly flared opening therein, a hose positioned in said package and provided at one end with a beveled ferrule for cooperation with the flared portion of the opening in the bottom of the package when the hose is passed through said opening from the inside of the package, a container for fluid positioned in the package, and means cooperating with the top of the package for maintaining the container in the package and in engagement with the hose, said hose when connected to the opening in the bottom of the package after removal of the container permitting said package and hose to be employed to dispense the fluid in the container by providing a receptacle into which the fluid can be poured and a flexible conduit for conveying the fluid.

4. Means for marketing and dispensing fluid comprising a package made at least partially of absorbent material and provided with a bottom having an opening therein, a hose positioned in said package, one end of said hose and the bottom of the package having cooperating means for permitting the hose to be connected to the bottom of the package at the opening therein when the container is removed, a container for fluid positioned in the package, and means cooperating with the top of the package for maintaining the container in the package and in engagement with the hose, said hose when connected to the opening in the bottom of the package permitting said package and hose to be employed to dispense the fluid in the container by providing a receptacle into which the fluid can be poured and a flexible conduit for conveying the fluid and the material of the package being capable of absorbing such an amount of the fluid during dispensing as to prevent re-use of the package in marketing fluid.

5. Means for marketing and dispensing brake fluid comprising a package made at least partially of absorbent material and provided with a bottom and an inwardly flared opening therein, a coiled hose positioned in the bottom or said package and provided at one end with a beveled ferrule for cooperation with the flared portion of the opening in the bottom of the package when the hose is passed through said opening from the inside of the package, a can containing brake fluid positioned in the package and having one and resting on the hose, and a destructible removable band secured to the top of the package and overlying the top of the can to thereby mainthe can, and siad material of the package being capable of absorbing such an amount oi the fluid during the dispensing operation as to prevent reuse of the package in marketing fluid.

6. Meansror marketing a fluid comprising a package open at the top and provided with a bottom having an opening therein, a hose positioned in the package, one end of said hose and the bottom of the package being provided with cooperating means permitting said end to be attached to the opening in the bottom of the package whereby the hose and package can be employed to dispense the fluid, a container of fluid positioned in the package with the hose, and destructible means comprising a member sealed by adhesive substance to the top oi. the package for maintaining the container of fluid and hose in the package.

7. Means for marketing a fluid in a container which does not carry indicia as to its source of origin and for also enabling the purchaser to conveniently dispense the fluid, said means comprising a package in which is packed the container of fluid and upon which suitable indicia may be placed, a, hose in the package, one end of the hose 30 and the bottom oi the package being 'so constructed that the hose can be attached thereto I to thereby form a fluid receiving receptacle and a conduit leading therefrom for dispensing the fluid, and removable means for holding the con tainer in the package, the material of the package being such that it is capable of absorbing a sufficient amount oi! the fluid to render the package unfit for re-use as a marketing package.

8. Means for marketing a fluid in a container which does not carry indicia as .to its source of origin and also for enabling the purchaser to conveniently dispense the fluid, said means comprising a package in which is packed the container of fluid and upon which suitable indicia may be placed, said package being constructed with imperforate Side walls of such height as to hold a body of fluid when in a vertical position and with an opening at its bottom so that when the fluid container is completely removed therefrom it can be employed as a fluid receiving receptacle in the form of a funnel for dispensing the fluid, and removable means for holding the container in the package, the material of the package being such that it is capable of absorbing a suiflcient amount of fluid when used only once to dispense the fluid so as to render the package unfit for re-use as a marketing package.

BURNS DICK. 

